Americans are entering another brutal winter paying more for power than ever, and the cold only magnifies a trend that has been building for years: Electricity is getting structurally more expensive.
Even as overall inflation cools, utility bills are getting higher: The retail price of household power is up 21% in just three years. Following an Arctic freeze and a historically cold winter in many parts of the U.S., people are posting shockingly high bills on Reddit, Nextdoor, and TikTok.
In addition to cold temperatures necessitating more power to heat homes, an aging grid, fuel-price backlash, and a once-in-a-generation investment cycle are hitting consumers.
How much the typical bill has climbed
The price of electricity itself has risen sharply since the pandemic era, and monthly bills have followed.
